Spain
The Kingdom of Spain is a nation in the Iberian Peninsula bordering the neighboring Kingdoms of Portugal and Occitania.
History
Spain during the Napoleonic Wars originally sided with Napoleon himself until the invasion of 1808. During this time, Napoleon installed his brother, Joseph, as the new King of Spain, kickstarting a series of revolutions in the New World.
After the Napoleonic Wars and the subsequent declarations of independence of various Spanish American nations, King Ferdinand VII of Spain was once again briefly replaced during a time called Trienio Liberal in 1820. The Liberal government subsequently recognized Mexcio as independent, leading to the proclamation of an Empire with General Vicente Guerrero as Emperor. Ferdinand VII regained power in 1823, but was unable to reverse the Mexican decision.
King Ferdinand VII granted consent to Archduke John of Austria to be King Of Peru in 1825, believing the territory, still in conflict, would soon be returned. John, however, proved to be an effective ruler.
Thereafter, Ferdinand VII attempted to block the nomination of his cousin, Charles, as King of Argentina, forbidding any of his family members to rule over former Spanish colonies. However, with international pressure from America and Brazil following the declaration and adoption of the Continental Ordinance, Ferdinand felt he had no choice but to relent. Charles was proclaimed King of Argentina in 1828.
In 1833, with the death of Ferdinand VII, Infante Carlos claimed the Spanish throne for himself. Ferdinand had nominated his daughter, Isabella, to be queen, circumventing the primogeniture of the time. Carlos was able to get the support of Miguel I of Portugal, and together the two were able to replace Isabella as monarch, asserting Carlist absolute authority. The ensuing war lasted until 1840, and devastated the Spanish countryside. Isabella was forced to marry her cousin, also named Carlos. In order to win the war, Carlos made considerable concessions to Basque and Catalan autonomy.
In 1841, Carlos V suspended the constitution that had been implemented in Spain, causing outrage throughout much of the country. Military leaders began to speak out against his authoritarian ways, and many of the more radicals were purged. Carlos suspended freedom of the press in an attempt to curve the spread of liberal ideology, though in many ways the damage had been done. During the civil war, Queen Regent Maria had made concessions to the liberals in the military, and many of them wished to see those reforms remain in place.
During the Revolutions of 1848 in Europe, Spain and particularly King Carlos received considerable liberal push back from officers and military officials. Carlos' dedication to traditionalism led to a military coups. Though it broke the Continental Ordinance, Carlos received word of support from Chancellor Franklin Pierce's administration if Spain were to cede Cuba. Carlos refused to even consider the notion.
Instead, Carlos offered further autonomy to the Basque and Catalans for military support, though the wave of liberalism proved too strong, and Carlos faced the option of adopting a constituion or abdicate. Neither he, nor his son Carlos, agreed to adopt the Constituion, so the liberals turned to his second son, Juan, who agreed. In the wake of the promised autonomy, Juan was forced to divide Spain into the historic Crown of Aragon, Crown of Castile, and Kingdom of Navarre. Aragon was under Catalan nobility, while Navarre fell under Basque nobility.
During the French Civil War in 1850, Spain agreed to aid Occitan rebels in forming a new independent kingdom with Infante Sebastian of Portugal and Spain as king. The rebels were successful, and Occitania subsequently joined what would later form the basis of the Iberian Holy League.
Following the war, Spain led the Iberian Holy League in a conquest of Indochina as a result of the persecution of Catholics. In 1877, Indochina was declared a Spanish colony. The Spanish government began a system of conversion of the native population to Catholicism, establishing Church rule and authority in the region as they had in the Americas.
In 1868, following an insurrection in Cuba, Spain sent troops to force compliance. Gran Colombia became the most vocal in their objections, leading to their intervention in the Cuban War for Independence. Spain lost the war, who saw a substantial war debt.
In 1871, Spain backed Occitania during the Occitan-Bavarian Crisis that was the result of France's attempt at an economic alliance with Switzerland. The belief was that the alliance violated France's coerced neutrality and isolation. Though the crisis never led to a war, it did see the formation of the South German Confederation, and later the German Empire to counter Iberian authority.
In 1905, Spain attempted to assert their authority over Morocco. Moroccan independence was guaranteed by the German Empire, and threatened military action against Spain should they attempt further control. Spain, however, was backed by the majority of the Great Powers, and Spanish rule over Morocco became fait accompli. This further cemented Spanish cooperation with Britain, but deepened the rivalry with Germany.
During the Great War, Spain remained neutral under King Jaime III, as we wished for more cordial relations with Germany, angering much of his support base. He did, however, sent aid to Occitania in confronting the forces of Holland in France. Though they were eventually defeated by a joint Dutch and German front, Holland, and later Occitania, would eventually fall to communist rule.
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